International Employment Bulletin March 2012

Welcome to the March 2012 edition of our Bulletin. You'll find out more about wearing the Islamic headscarf in the workplace in Belgium, moral harassment in France, the risks of headhunting in Germany, termination clauses in Italian contracts and compulsory pensions in the UK.

We hope that you enjoy our newsletter and welcome your comments or suggestions.

Inthis edition:

Belgium: Important case-law on wearing an Islamic headscarf at work

Whether employees can wear religious symbols, such as an Islamic headscarf, at work is a very delicate issue. Can an employer prohibit one of its employees wearing a headscarf at work? Read More >

France: Moral harassment does not have to come from a senior employee

The French Supreme Court confirms that a lower-ranked employee can subject a higher-ranked employee to moral harassment. Read More >

Germany: Headhunting - poaching employees at their workplace and the legal risks for the recruiting employer

The shortage of skilled workers has encouraged employers to use professional 'headhunters' to recruit potential top executives. Find out more about the legal framework, the legal boundaries and the legal risks for the recruiting employer. Read More >

Italy: When hiring employees, employers can now insert a clause in the contract which will constitute a fair reason for termination

The reason for an employee's termination can be challenged by an employee, exposing the employer to a number of risks in the event of a dismissal. It is now possible for employers to avoid these risks by agreeing such reasons with the employees in advance. Read More >

UK: Compulsory pensions coming to the UK

Starting with the largest in October 2012, employers will be obliged to enrol most of their employees into a pension scheme and to pay money towards their pension. It is the first time that the UK will have had compulsory pensions in this way and it is estimated that it will result in between 5 and 8 million people newly saving or saving more in workplace pensions. Read More >